Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-11-Speech-4-055"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20100311.3.4-055"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"− Madam President, only two weeks after the dreadful disaster on Madeira, the Commission was again shocked and saddened by the death and devastation caused by storm Xynthia in France and other European countries.
These are the essential elements for the application, which has to reach the Commission within 10 weeks of the disaster. That means before 9 May. After it is received it will be examined by the Commission as quickly as possible. The Commission services, in particular DG Regional Policy, are granting all possible assistance and guidance in preparing the application. Contacts at expert level are well established with the French authorities, thus allowing effective progress.
Please be aware, however, that aid from the Solidarity Fund cannot be paid out immediately. The Solidarity Fund should not be misunderstood as an emergency instrument. It is a financial instrument to help bear the financial burden of emergency operations. As such, a possible grant could be used retroactively for emergency operations from day one of the disaster.
The funding for the Solidarity Fund is raised through an extra effort of the Member States outside the normal European Union budget. It has to be approved by Parliament and the Council through an amending budget procedure.
As you know, the whole procedure – from the moment the application is made to paying out the grant – inevitably takes several months. The Commission is, however, making every effort to keep this time span as short as possible.
As regards the Structural Funds, in particular the ERDF, this can of course not be used for immediate emergency operations. France and the Commission have, however, started discussing the options and possible necessary programme modifications which might be instrumental for longer-term reconstruction and for investment in businesses affected by the flood.
One last point, which Members of this House already raised during the debate on Madeira two weeks ago. The Commission will use the current political momentum to attempt to unblock the proposal for an amended Solidarity Fund regulation at the Council. Parliament widely supported this proposal, and I feel this is the right moment to take common action vis-à-vis the Council again.
I wish to express my personal sympathy to all those that are suffering as a consequence of the disaster. The Commission’s condolences go in particular to the families and friends of those that have lost their lives.
Through the monitoring and information centre for civil protection, the Commission has been monitoring the events caused by storm Xynthia closely and has offered to set the mechanism for EU assistance in action. Fortunately, the French rescue services were able to respond to the disaster with their own means and did not request the activation of the mechanism.
Together with the relevant authorities in the Member States, the Commission is now exploring all the possibilities and instruments that could be available at EU level to assist financially in overcoming the disaster and to help return to normal living conditions as soon as possible.
Two days ago, Commission President Barroso met French President Sarkozy to discuss the situation. Yesterday he also met with a number of Members of this House from different countries. One week ago my colleague, Mr Hahn, Commissioner responsible for regional policy and the Solidarity Fund, visited the most hard-hit regions in France – La Rochelle and l’Aiguillon-sur-Mer – and met with national and regional authorities.
On Madeira, where disaster struck two weeks earlier, the authorities and rescue services have been able to make enormous progress in combating the effects of the flooding disaster. Commissioner Hahn visited Madeira during the past weekend to get a first-hand impression and to discuss with the local authorities the way forward.
The European Union Solidarity Fund was set up in 2002 specifically as the instrument at EU level to financially assist EU Member States affected by major natural disasters, if certain conditions are met. France has already declared its intention to apply for assistance from the Solidarity Fund. I should point out that the Regulation governing the Solidarity Fund normally allows its mobilisation only for what are known as ‘major disasters’, where the damage at national level exceeds the threshold of 0.6% of gross national income, or EUR 3 billion at 2002 prices. For France this currently means the damage would have to exceed approximately EUR 3.4747 billion at current prices.
However, in exceptional circumstances and if specific criteria are met, the fund may also be used for smaller ‘extraordinary regional disasters’, in particular where they concern outermost regions like Madeira.
The French authorities are currently carrying out an assessment of the damage and of its repercussions for the economy and the living conditions of the population."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples